The Road Trip
by MizBizSav
Summary: Chloe really doesn't like road trips. Especially when her only companions are a group of schoolmates she'd rather not associate with. But when forced to join Derek, Simon, Tori, and Liz on a long trip to Charleston, Chloe finds herself testing old relationships and creating new ones along the way. AU and without powers.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Yay! A new story!**

**I'm having a lot of fun writing this story, mainly because the characters are so fun to work with! This is a short chapter and not much happens. I was just wanting to set-up the story and test the idea. I don't have much of a plot planned for this story, but I think that's the fun of it. Typically, I map out every single detail of my story before I even begin writing. With this one, it'll be exciting just to see what happens!**

**What I loved about writing this is that I've basically been, quite literally, mapping out their entire trip. Google Maps is a handy tool, my friends. I'm from the South (U.S.) and it will be interesting discovering more about the places I've yet to visit.**

**Thanks for reading!  
(And, as sad as it may be, I don't own the Darkest Powers series.)**

* * *

"_Another _bathroom stop? Really, Tori?"

Tori flipped Simon the finger as Derek pulled the car into the parking lot of a gas station. Tori threw open the door, the car not even at a complete stop, and hopped off inside the building.

"Ridiculous." Simon shook his head. "Would someone please explain to me why we invited her in the first place?"

Liz spoke up from beside me. "She's my friend. I couldn't _not _invite her."

"Um, yeah, you could have."

"Not if I wanted to _keep _her as my friend."

Simon sighed. "Still. It's-" He checked his watch. "- nearly five o'clock and we're still in Pittsburgh. At this rate, we won't get to Charleston until _after _our summer break ends. "

"Don't be such a baby. Getting there is half the fun."

Simon fake gagged. Liz retorted with another defensive comment. Rinse, wash, repeat.

I had to sit on my hands in order to resist the urge to just get out of the car, flash them a sarcastic grin, and say, "Hey! See you back in Buffalo! I'm walking home!". I couldn't do that, of course. I had to smile and act like I was enjoying it for Liz's sake. She was the reason I had agreed to the trip, anyway.

"You can't just hole up in your room and watch movies all day," she had said. "Come on! Live a little! Go on the trip with us!"

I told her that it just wasn't my thing, that I wasn't going. It wasn't until she got down on her hands and knees and begged me to come that I had realized she was serious. Once it got to that point, once I saw how much it meant to her, I couldn't say no.

If it was just a trip with Liz, I would've jumped at the offer. She had quickly become my best friend this past year and I was really grateful for her companionship. The added guests was what made me detest the idea.

I didn't really know any of them prior to the arrangement. Simon was Liz's longest friend and I had said hello and made small chat whenever he was around, but we had never spoken beyond that. Simon's brother, Derek, was one grade above me so we hadn't had many opportunities to talk. Not that I was jumping at the chance to do so. If Simon was super friendly, then Derek was the complete opposite. Sullen. Standoffish. His behavior didn't make me believe any less in the rumors that spread about him at school. As for Tori... well, it was hard to _not _know Tori. She was the most popular girl at school. The Queen Bee. She fit the stereotype perfectly. Flawless hair and skin, expensive clothing. The package was complete with an ego so large I was surprised it fit into the car.

As if on cue, Tori knocked on the door. Derek grumbled as he unlocked it. Tori leaped inside, fastened her seat belt, straightened her skirt, and said, "Well, what's everyone waiting for? Let's go."

All four of us peered at her.

Tori sunk back into her seat. "What? Do we want to stay at a smelly gas station all night or get to Charleston?"

"I'm going to kill her," Simon muttered.

"What's that? You're madly in love with me? Oh Simon, you're _so_ sweet."

"Yeah, don't flatter yourself."

"Hey," Tori snapped. "_You'd_ be lucky to go out with _me_, Simon Bae. Don't even think that I-"

"Can we all try to get there in one piece?" Derek roared from the front seat, agitation seeping into his voice.

Tori and Simon both shut up. Liz looked around nervously, her eyes flitting back-and-forth between us. I stared out the window, pretending to be highly interested in a crow perched on a telephone pole. After a moment, Derek sighed and started the car. We lurched forward and slowly but surely continued on our journey.

* * *

I awoke to a small shake of my shoulder. I lifted my head from the cool glass of the window to find Liz hovering by my side.

"Sorry to wake you," she whispered. "But we're trying to decide on where to rest tonight and we didn't want to make the decision without you."

"Rest?" I groggily asked, shaking off the last wisps of slumber. "Where are we?"

"Still in Pennsylvania, I'm afraid. We caught the traffic right at rush hour."

I'm suddenly thankful that I fell asleep and missed the stress of angry drivers and five-second green lights.

"Yeah, Chloe got her beauty sleep while the rest of us had to deal with the tension of the highway," Tori said sarcastically from the other side of Liz.

"Hey," Liz said. "We'd all be asleep if we could."

"Speaking of sleep..." Tori drawed out. "What are we going to do about tonight?"

The three of us looked to the two guys up front.

"I still say that we just hole up somewhere and sleep here," Derek grumbled. "It saves us the money of buying a room."

Tori's mouth dropped. "Um, no. Think again, big guy. There's no way I'm sleeping in the car."

Simon's head lolled back. "Could you just be practical for once? We're sleeping out here. It's final."

"Tough guys," Tori muttered and crossed her arms.

I looked to Liz and saw her frown deepening, her face showing exactly what we were all thinking.

"Uh," I spoke up for the first time. "I actually would feel more comfortable in a room, if that's okay. I understand we're tight on money, but if we're all feeling unsafe about it..."

Derek stared at me in the rear view mirror, green eyes piercing mine. I shrunk back in my seat, suddenly wanting to disappear from everyone's scrutinizing glares.

The silence hung in the air as Simon and Derek whispered over their decision. I caught a few curses, mostly from Derek. A slight eye-roll courtesy of Derek, then he cleared his throat.

"Alright," his voice rumbled. "We stay in a room."

Liz squealed and flashed me a thumbs-up. I didn't even try to suppress my grin, a giddy feeling of belonging washing over me. Tori didn't provide the same thrilled reaction. She glowered at me, her lips pursed out, her shoulders hunched back. I made a mental note to never be left alone in a room with her.

"But," Derek struggled to say, as if it killed him to agree with us. "This is the only time we splurge on a room. And we split the price evenly."

We all nodded our heads.

Simon whipped out his phone and began to search for a cheap motel.

"Uhhh..." His eyes scanned the screen. "There's one a few miles down the road. Looks like a dump, but we can afford it." He twisted in our direction. "That okay?"

The girls nodded.

"As long as it's not Bate's, I'm fine," I said.

Simon shot me a smile and turned back in his seat. Tori scoffed and rolled her eyes.

Simon relayed the directions to Derek. I watched the world whirl past, a mixture of industrial buildings and perfectly-shaped evergreens, as Derek navigated his way to the motel. In just a few short minutes, we were pulling up in the bumpy parking lot and tumbling out of the car. The cool air nipped at my skin and I absently rubbed the goosebumps forming on my arms.

Derek popped the trunk and heaved out the bags we'd need for tonight. For Simon, Derek, Liz, and I, it was one tiny bag each. For Tori? Two big carry ons.

"What?" she asked after noticing our stares. "I don't just wake up looking like this."

Simon scoffed. Liz chuckled and playfully hit Tori in the arm. Derek groaned and we took that as a sign that his happiness level was dangerously low, moreso than usual, and made our way inside.

If I was thinking the motel was going to look any more desirable on the inside, I was wrong. The dull green wallpaper was peeling off, revealing a tarnished slab of wall behind it. The floor creaked beneath my footsteps, threatening to cave at any second. The musty stench that filled the room choked my throat and made my eyes water. You definitely got what you paid for here.

"Waynesburg's finest," Simon whispered as we inched to the front desk.

The desk clerk's eyes widened when he saw us. He quickly yanked his feet off the table and hid the newspaper that he had been reading. He tried to present himself as a studious and accomplished worker, but he already gave off the impression that no one really stayed here often.

"We'd like two of your finest rooms," Derek said and slapped down a few bills on the desk.

The man eyed Derek, sizing him up, and then carefully took his bills, counting. After a moment, he shook his head.

"Sorry," he gruffly muttered. "This ain't enough."

"Your website said-"

"I don't care what the damn website said. Not my problem. We're $60 per room here."

"Sir." Derek struggled to keep his voice calm. "We specifically came here because this motel was the cheapest in town. We just need to stay one night. Now if you'll please accept the $90 that was stated-"

"No deal." The man crossed his arms.

Tori squeezed her way past Derek to the front of the desk. "Excuse me. Yeah, we _really _need a room tonight. I don't care if you hate your job, or your life, or whatever, but if you could just please help us out-"

"Sorry, cutie. No can do." He flashed her a twisted smile. Tori shivered and joined Liz and I at the back.

"Just pay him the extra $30, Derek," Simon muttered.

Derek's jaw set. He glared at the man, eyes fiery with rage, and then snatched the bills from the desk.

"No way. I'm not giving him our money. He's just going to pocket the extra $30 and keep it for himself, anyway."

The man narrowed his eyes. "Don't you go accusing me, boy. A little respect would get you far in life and-"

"And it goes both ways. Now come on, we're leaving." Derek headed for the door. The rest of us stayed behind.

The man chuckled. "Ain't so big and mighty, now are you?"

Derek growled and stormed out of the building. Tori, Simon, and Liz glanced around uncomfortably. They lingered there, lost, and I realized what had to be done.

"I'll go get him," I announced and shouldered my way past them and out the door.

I scanned the parking lot, searching for Derek, until I spotted his dark figure under the shadow of a tree. I ran over.

"Hey," I said as I approached him. "I know you're upset-"

"I'm not giving him my money," Derek declared coldly and turned away from me.

I sighed. "You don't want to be on this trip, I get that. But for everyone else? It means a lot and a little effort would be appreciated."

Derek twisted my way so fast that I stumbled back. "Like you have any right to say that about me. What about you, sulking in the back the entire way here?"

I looked away.

Derek sneered. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"I'm trying," I whispered, but I knew it was no use. He wouldn't sacrifice his ego for this. And if I was being honest with myself, I knew he was right. On the drive here all I could think about was when the trip was ending. It didn't matter that I shot Liz a few happy smiles and said everything was fine and dandy. If I wasn't truly letting myself enjoy it, there was no point in pretending like I was.

"Well, try harder. You can start by joining in on conversations and not acting like we have fleas."

"I'm shy, " I snapped. "I can't help that."

"That's an excuse."

My guilt switched to boiling anger. I was quiet. Always had been. It was as much a part of me as my blonde hair. Every time someone made a condescending comment, every time someone put me down for being shy, I grew less and less sure of myself, pushing me further back into my shell. I wish I wasn't so sensitive, but Derek's ignorant remark rooted in my brain, poisoning the few ounces of confidence I had.

I stared at him coldly, biting back the vicious jabs I could blurt out, namely ones concerning his sickening arrogance and his complete lack of respect. I swallowed the words, shot him one last fixed glare, and marched back inside.

Simon perked up from the chair he was lounging in. "Chloe?"

I reached into my bag, scrounged up $120, and slammed it on the desk. Everyone stared at me in disbelief.

The clerk smiled. "I knew someone would understand that business makes exceptions for no one." He slid two keys across the counter. "First two doors on your right. Enjoy."

I slung my backpack over my shoulder and strode to the door. "You guys coming?"

Simon laughed. Liz hesitantly grabbed her things. Tori's jaw nearly hit the floor. I smiled to myself and walked out the door.

* * *

Liz flipped on the bed. "Okay, you _have _to tell me what just happened."

I laughed, basking in the attention. "Derek was too stubborn to buy a room. We were desperate. End of story."

Tori scoffed. "Oh, please. You act like you just saved mankind. So you paid for the rooms. No big deal."

The light buzz diminished. I opened my mouth only to shut it again.

Liz hurried to my rescue. "I wouldn't have done it. Chloe, that's pretty much all of your money."

I shrugged. "I have a few dollars left."

"_I have a few dollars left,_" Tori mimicked. "Stop trying to show everyone up."

"I-I wasn't-"

Tori snickered, the sound cutting through me. "First, you completely ignore everyone on the way here, like you are too good for us or something. And then you pipe up and suddenly have the boys tripping over their feet for you."

"I didn't-"

"And _then _you act like some big hero who just swooped down and saved us all. Newsflash, Chloe Saunders: you're not all that great."

Liz gasped. "Tori!"

My heart sunk. I felt the tears well up in my eyes, threatening to fall at any second. I rushed out of the room before I could give Tori the satisfaction, and it wasn't until I was crouched on the sidewalk, knees pressed into my face, that I let the tears stream down.

Stupid. It was stupid to agree to go on this trip. It was stupid to think that I'd have fun. And, most of all, it was stupid to think that I'd make some new friends. These people weren't my friends. Never would be.

"Chloe?" Simon's voice came from somewhere behind me.

I quickly wiped the tears from my face and stood up. "I-I'm sorry. I was just... I'm going in. I'm sorry."

I tried to brush past him, but he steered me back to the curb and sat down beside me. "You've been crying. What's up?"

I considered lying, telling him that it was nothing, but some part of me decided against it. "This trip. I don't think it was right coming. I feel like I'm just making it worse for everyone."

Simon lightly shook my shoulder. "Not for me. It's been great having you." The corners of his lips twisted into a huge grin. "And I definitely think we should keep you around for Derek's sake, if nothing else."

"Derek?"

"Oh yeah. It's about time someone put him into his place."

"About that... I didn't mean... I shouldn't have done it. Derek was right anyway. It was stupid and-"

"Don't." Simon noticed my somber expression and chuckled. "Don't apologize! You did good."

I saw the amber dancing in his almond eyes and his lopsided, but confident, grin and that was all of the reassurance that I needed.

"Give it another day," he said.

I nodded and smiled and he wrapped his arm around my shoulder in a friendly embrace.

The door behind us swung open. Tori sauntered out. "Okay, Chloe. Liz says I need to apologize so let's get this ov-"

Her gaze became fixated on Simon beside me. It was like a switch was flipped and her eyes darkened, her mouth drooped. If a glare could kill, I'd already be done and over with.

Simon stared at her blankly. "Chloe and I were just having a chat."

"Oh, I'm sure you were." Her tone was dripping with irritation.

I slid out from underneath Simon's arm. I muttered a weak "goodnight" and hurried back inside my room. Liz stood anxiously by the bathroom. When she saw me, she raced over and asked, "Is everything okay?"

I flashed her a fake smile. "Everything's fine."

"Good."

I didn't even have to fight to keep down the complaints, the truth that wanted to spill out. If I had to sacrifice my happiness in order for this trip to run smoothly, then it would have to be exactly what I did.

I crawled into bed, letting the scratchy sheets swallow me whole. I could hear Simon and Tori arguing outside the door, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. I was already slipping into a long, uncomfortable sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm going to try and keep this Author's Note fairly short.**

**As far as this chapter goes, not much happens. My main goal with this chapter was to establish the characters and certain traits that will be important later on. I think working with the characters is my favorite part of writing Fanfiction, especially when it comes to Kelley's characters. They are all so dear to my heart!**

**In a review I received, there was a question about Tori and Simon's relationship (specifically concerning whether or not they'd be siblings in my story). I debated this myself and was indecisive for quite some time, but I've come to the conclusion that they will NOT be related in any way in my story. Them not having that blood bond opens up many plot ideas that I may want to experiment with.**

**I'd just like to say thanks for all the kind reviews! They brighten my day!**

**As always, thanks for reading! (and, as always, I don't own the Darkest Powers trilogy.)**

* * *

_The birds chirped overhead, a song brimming with wistfulness and longing. A song that reminded me of my own mother's voice. A song that, regrettably, tugged me out of my deep slumber. _

_I opened my eyes, a sliver of light flooding the room. No. Not a room. I heard a slight humming in the background and felt the leather surface beneath my fingertips. I raised up. A car. I was lying in the backseat of a car._

_Confusion swept over me. How did I end up here? The last I remember, I was falling asleep in the motel room, struggling to shove the previous day's events out of my mind. Voices echoed in my head. Tori and Simon's. Their argument as I was trying to get to sleep._

_"I promise you. Chloe and I were just talking."_

_"That's a little hard to believe, considering you had your arm around her." Tori snorted. "So what? You were just telling her there were no ghosts out here waiting to snatch her soul? __It was a 'reassuring gesture'?_"_  
_

_Simon sputtered a laugh. "Oh, I have a certain reassuring gesture reserved just for you."_

_He must've flashed her the finger because Tori gasped._

_She quickly retorted. "You just love it, don't you? Going through girls like that?"_

_"I don't-"_

_"It's sick. And I don't want any part of it."_

_"You never were to begin with," Simon said coolly, but I swear I could hear Tori's heart breaking._

_"You can have Chloe Saunders," Tori said, the pain edging into her voice._

_"I-"_

_"You can have her," she spat. "She's a bitch and wants to steal everything that is mine. Always has. Abuse her all you want. I don't give a damn."_

_The memory faded and I'm back in the car, fighting the urge to bury my face in my hands and cry. No one has ever hated me before. I've always been the type of girl to just blend into the background, the type of girl that no one really thinks much about. Yes, I'm sure I had done things before that rubbed others the wrong way. But pure, venomous hatred? It stung._

_Suddenly, the engine roared to life. The vibrations beneath my fingers began thumping, like a stereo blasting music too loud. I glanced around at my surroundings. Or should I say _lack of _surroundings. The car was idled at a stop on a seemingly endless road. There was nothing else. No trees. No pedestrians. Just the road, the car, and me._

_Feeling the anxiety gnawing at my gut, I grabbed the handle on the door and pulled. It didn't budge. I yanked it harder. No such luck._

_My blood turned to lead. I struggled to calm my racing heart, but didn't find any success. I pressed a sweaty palm into my forehead._

_"Just breathe," I whispered to myself, demanding more than anything. Just breathe and think this through._

_I let out a nervous laugh. Of course. Here I am, throwing things out of proportion, just like I always have. I'm sure everything is just fine and I'll be-_

_The car inched forward. I felt my heart jump into my stomach. Cars don't run by themselves._

_The gas pedal squeaked and the car raced ahead, throwing me onto the floor. I rubbed my bumped head and then pulled myself up. Nausea hit me as the car zipped along the road. It was moving too fast. Way too fast._

_Grabbing the back of the seat in front of me, I wiggled to the front, flopping down behind the steering wheel. As soon as all of the blinking buttons and many gears are before me, I mentally curse myself for never taking driving lessons. I cautiously wrapped my hands around the wheel and turned it to the left. The car rattles, like it just went over a speed bump, but the direction is not altered. To the right. Still the same. Angry and confused and fearing for my life, I stomped on the brake pedal. Nothing happens. The worry in the pit of my stomach grows, eating away all logic. This was bad. Really bad. Was this my last breath, my last thought, my last look at the world?_

_My mind's own high-speed chase came to a halt._ What _world? There was nothing here. My mouth dropped. That also meant that there was nothing for me to crash into. Did that... did that mean I would be stuck in this car forever? Racing along the highway, just waiting for death? No. I couldn't accept it. That seemed worse than death itself._

_I pushed the strands of hair out of my face and took a couple of deep breaths. If I was to get out of this, I needed to think. The car was tearing down the road at an incredibly fast speed. It couldn't be stopped suddenly; it had to gradually slow down. I already tried the brakes and that didn't work. Apparently, everything inside the car is automatic and unresponsive. However, if an outside force was to alter the car's speed, then maybe, just maybe, I could get it to safely stop. But what object was there?_

_I closed my eyes and concentrated. Or at least tried to. Every time I thought I was making progress, my brain would flash up an explanation as to why my idea wouldn't be plausible. Every time I had assured myself I would figure it out and return unscathed, the voice in my head spoke up, scolding me for being so optimistic. Perhaps my own self, crushing any hope before it had even been found, was far more detrimental than my situation. Perhaps my negativity was as endless as the road itself, bending and shaping my words until they retained an entirely different meaning. Perhaps-_

_The car shook violently. A screeching noise erupted from the brakes, loud and piercing. The engine gurgled and spat. On instinct, I covered my head and squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the collision, any type of collision. It never happened. Besides my racing heart and fragile mental state, I was fine. After a moment, I raised up from my crouched position and looked around. The car was stopped in the middle of an intersection. Replacing the previous blank white canvas were trees and tiny shops and street signs. My heart dropped when I read one in particular. Kensington Avenue._

_Before I had a moment to process what had happened, a whisper snaked around me._

_"What are you going to do, Chloe?" it hissed. My eyes prickled with tears._

_"L-leave me alone," I weakly muttered._

_"Leave you alone?" A cackle. "But this is where it all begins."_

_My body shaked with sobs. "N-no, it's not. J-just please stop this. J-just please take me back to the motel. I don't want to be h-here."_

_I waited for a response. The air was still and quiet. The voice was gone._

_I slammed my hands into the steering wheel. This was useless. There was nothing I could do to stop this. I was defenseless. Complete and utter defenseless._

___Voices reverberated around me. I whipped my head around, searching. There. On a bench outside the pizza parlor. __Two figures. One, slender and curvy. The other, large and wide. I squinted to make out the details of their appearance. __Spiky dark hair on the lean one. A pair of bright green eyes on the second. My breathing hitched. Not just any green eyes. Derek's._

_________I tried not to let my relief swallow any common sense, but it was hard. _Really_______hard. Derek was here and as much as I hated to rely on him, he could save me. I didn't mind being the damsel-in-distress if it meant delaying death._

_____________"Derek?" I screamed. His head turned towards me and the mound of anxiety resting on my shoulders lifted. "Please. Please help me. Please open the door."  
_

_____________He stood up. My breath caught in my throat and I had to struggle to keep from bursting into tears. He checked the street for traffic, then dashed over to the car. __He peered in through the window, eyes large and wide._

_"Chloe?" His voice is full of concern. "Chloe, what are you doing here?"_

_"I-I don't know. I just need you to open the door so I can get out. Please."  
_

_He reached for the door handle, then stopped. His eyes met mine, searching. Something flashed in them, something I couldn't quite place, then his lips twisted upwards into a sardonic smile._

___"No chance in hell."_

___"W-what?" All of the air rushed out of my lungs. Derek smirked at me one last time before heading across the street. I clawed at the door, screaming and hollering._

___"No!" I cried out. "N-no, you don't understand. Come back. Something bad is going to h-happen to me. I need your help. Please."_

___He didn't look back. Not once._

_____I wailed, empty and deflated. Oh God, why hadn't he helped me? I knew he cared for me about as much as he cared for a piece of cardboard, but it's what any decent human being would do. I paused. Would he? I obviously made him angry yesterday. Would he be able to overlook that in order to save me?_

_______A cackle. My head swerved, back in Derek's direction. I was too panicked before, but I could see her now. Tori. Lounging on the bench beside Derek. Pointing and laughing. The betrayal stung, numbing all of my senses, flooding my thoughts with ways I could've prevented this. ____________If only I had been nicer. If only I had made an effort. If only-_

___________A flash of light temporarily blinds me. Images come and go. ________________________Tori, wiggling her fingers in a wave. _The stoplight above, lit up on red. ___________And a navy Jeep, skidding across the intersection and crashing into me._

* * *

I shot up in bed, gasping for air. Eyes still closed, I reached for the ruby pendant around my neck, clutching it with clammy and shaky hands. It calmed my nerves for a moment, but I could still feel my heart beating at a rapid pace, could still feel the sweat trickling down the back of my neck. The nightmare tugged at the corners of my brain, threatening to pull me back in, and I had to struggle to force my way out of it. I opened my eyes, then immediately regretted it. Visions of wrecked cars and crushed bodies haunted the room and no matter how many times I blinked, they remained there, offering a chilling reminder of the horrid dream.

What exactly _did _I just dream? It seemed real. It _felt _real. The situation, the setting, the emotions, everything. It was like I could _feel_ the terror building up, like I could _feel_ the heartache and confusion, like I could _feel_ the car breaking my bones and slicing me open and...

And that was enough of that. The stuffiness of the room bore down on me, making it even harder to breathe. I needed to go outside. Just a few minutes of solitude in order to clear my head. I slung my legs over the side of the bed and raised up, stretching. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a big heap lying on the floor. My heart started racing again, mistaking it for a limp body or a soul-snatching demon or anything else my nightmare-scarred brain could think of, but when I tiptoed over, I saw it was just Tori, curled up in a mound of blankets. A small twinge of guilt simmered in my gut. Was I the reason why she was sleeping on the floor? I knew there were only two beds, but I fell asleep anyway, not even bothering to ask if Liz or Tori wanted my bed. Was that selfish? Was this what Tori meant before- that I stole everything from her? It seemed absurd when I first heard it, but now I couldn't help but let the idea take root. I quickly shook my head, banishing my thoughts. No. I couldn't let myself feel sorry for Tori, not after everything she had done to me.

I stepped around Tori, careful not to wake her. I pushed opened the door and walked outside, sneaking away for a few gulps of cold air and maybe some peace and quiet and...

And there was Derek, all six-feet of him, sitting on the curb, clad from head-to-toe in black, fleeting into the darkness. He turned his head to the side at the sound of the door squeaking open and I knew he saw me. I stood still. There was a part of me that screamed, _"Um, Chloe? In the nightmare you just had, he had no problem with witnessing your death. And let's not forget that you kind of just ticked him off yesterday. Do the math and r__un back inside while you still have the chance!_" But I drowned it out, realizing that it'd be rude to leave after he already noticed me. And I might as well admit that I was tired of being seen as a coward.

"Can't sleep?" I said, shutting the door behind me.

He grunted in response and shifted, his face averted from view. _Well, _I thought. _This was off to a great start._

I tried again. "Nightmares keeping you up? Let me guess. You're stuck in a car with Tori for 10 hours. A real pain once you wake up and realize it's not a dream."

"I wish it was," he grumbled and turned my way ever so slightly.

"Ahhh," I said, teasing. "So you _can _talk."

I got a glare for that one. As long as it was something. I wasn't wanting to become best friends with Derek, but it'd help clear my conscience if I tried being nicer.

"So..." I walked over and lowered myself on the curb beside him. "Why _are_ you out here?"

He stared at me and arched his eyebrows. I scooted farther away, even though we were already two feet apart. He shook his head, lank hair swaying to the side, and I was about to get up when he cleared his throat.

"I wasn't feeling well."

The only thing I could think to say was, "Oh."

_Way to go, Chloe. Tease him like he's scared of the dark when he is actually just sick. That's definitely how you'll land on his good side._

He coughed, the dry hack making me wince, then looked out over the parking lot, distant.

I scoffed. "I know. What a great view we have."

"You get what you pay for."

My stomach dropped as I remembered yesterday's events. "U-um, yeah, about that. I... I-I never..." A sigh. "I didn't mean to make you mad yesterday. When I paid for the rooms. I-I was just stressed, I guess. And a little angry myself. I apologize."

He snorted and turned his head. A few seconds go by and I'm waiting for something, anything. Just a "thanks" or a nod or some kind of acknowledgement. But it never comes. A core of burning anger engulfed my being.

"I'm trying to apologize and you don't even have the decency to pay me any respect?" I stood up, stare intensifying, anger boiling. "I'm _sorry _for trying to be nice. I really am. I won't make the same mistake again."

Finally, he spun my way, face twisted up in a pout of rage. "What do you want me to say? 'Don't apologize because it was my fault?' What you did was stupid and I'm not going to sugarcoat it."

A sarcastic laugh bubbled up. "Really? I had no idea." I shook my head. "I paid for the rooms because everyone was desperate and you were too stubborn to do it yourself."

"You think I refused out of stubbornness? I did it because we're on a budget and can't afford to waste money. Not everyone has a rich father to pamper them."

My lip curled up in disgust. "I _worked _for that money. My father's financial status had _nothing_ to do with it."

He tore his gaze away, taken aback. After a second, he muttered, "Yeah, well, next time, let me handle our finances."

"Yes, sir."

"I'm not a drill sergeant, Chloe."

"Then why act like one?"

He blinked. "I'm not- I don't mean to-" An exasperated grunt. "I'm stressed and I'm sick and it's putting me on edge."

"That's not an excuse to snap at someone."

"I know," he grumbled and it made me wonder if he had already thought this through himself.

There was a part of me that yelled to go back inside. It kept getting louder and overwhelming and yes, it was tempting. Why should I stay out here? In the few conversations we've had, all Derek had ever done was ridicule me. He did it to everyone, but that didn't make him any less of a jerk for doing so. He hurt my feelings and I shouldn't sit here and give him the benefit of the doubt. But I wanted to. Maybe it was my eagerness to please, maybe it was my stubbornness, but I didn't want to go back inside. I didn't want to be rude and crass because that meant I'd be sinking down to his level. I didn't want to be friends. I didn't even care if we never talked beyond this. But I also didn't want to look back and say that I never made an effort.

So before my brain had time to process what I was doing- and had time to process the complete idiocy of it- my legs tugged me back towards the curb and plopped me down beside him. I didn't say anything. The silence was nice and definitely something I wasn't going to take for granted. Once the sun rose and so did my lovely companions, I'd have to kiss the peace and quiet goodbye.

Derek's voice- well, rumble- shattered my thoughts. "Do you always sleep in jeans?"

"Wha- oh!" I glanced down to see that I was still wearing my clothes from yesterday. "I was so eager to get to sleep that I must've forgot to change into my PJ's."

A snort, which I took to mean that he was in agreement. "I think we were all pretty anxious to get away for a while."

"Not Liz. If given the choice, she would've stayed in that car forever."

Derek gave me a puzzled look.

"Liz gets really excited over things like this," I explained. "I think it brings her some kind of strange satisfaction."

Derek curtly nodded. Then we lapsed back into silence again. I brought my knees up to my chest and huddled there, simply staring, gazing at the sparse trees lining the lot, lost in thought. I thought of Tori and my quarrels with her, of our destination and its agonizing distance, of the long times ahead of me. Then Derek coughed and my thoughts shifted to something else.

"When did you start feeling sick?"

His signature grunt, then he said, "This morning."

"This morning? And you still came on the trip?"

"Had to. I'm chauffeur."

"Ahhh," I said and snuck a quick glance at him. "Makes sense."

He glared at me.

"What? You and I both know you don't want to be on this trip."

He narrowed his eyes. "And you and I both know _you _don't want to be on this trip."

I was stunned by his remark, but attempted to brush it off with a light shrug. "Touché."

He looked away and... and there was the silence again. Peaceful? Yes. Rejuvenating? Most definitely. But I also had to admit that it was becoming quite frustrating. It seemed like every time we'd start a conversation, we'd fall back into it, both struggling to come up with something to say, but never finding it. I was about to make a lame remark about the weather when Derek suddenly stood up.

"I'm going back inside." He rubbed his neck, shoulders hunched. "I'll need all of the sleep I can get if I'm going to be driving to Charleston."

"Oh," I said and rose to my feet. "Okay."

He strode to his door, then stopped and turned to face me. "Chloe?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't mention me being sick to Simon."

I hesitated. "But-"

"Don't." He locked his green eyes with mine, stare intense even in the darkest of the night. "Don't tell him."

I nodded and watched as he disappeared into his room, quietly closing the door behind him.

I stood there, dazed. I didn't want to feel proud, but I did. Being on good terms with Derek quieted the voice that echoed in my head, one saying that it was wrong to heighten his animosity towards me. Settling our disagreement lifted a huge weight off my shoulders and I felt like I could finally breathe and relax. Well, at least until Tori woke up.

I glanced back at Derek's room one last time before heading into my own. I stepped around Tori, crawled into bed, and pulled the sheets up around me. With a heavy sigh and a rested mind, I fell asleep with a small sense of satisfaction.


End file.
